11th December 2008

A Day in the Life of the Breastfeeding Mum 3 replies

What’s it really like to breastfeed you say?  For those of you who didn’t have to work while breastfeeding, or had/have a hubbie or mommy to take care of you while you transition through the first few weeks of having a child, you are the lucky ones, relatively.  Breastfeeding takes a lot of work, especially for those who have something else to do besides care exclusively for baby. 


Baby yawning - quite content in between naps

Here’s what today was like, which often begins the night before:

11 p.m. - baby begins to wake up, and begins to want food every three hours (unlike during day, where she sleeps more often) - turns out there is a reason for this - see below

2 a.m. - baby wakes up, gets changed, gets breastmilk from breastfeeding, and then mommy pumps

2 a.m. - 6 a.m. - baby does not go back to sleep, gurgles, screeches momentarily, and otherwise entertains herself in bed, occasionally crying for food, getting diaper changed, etc.

2 a.m. - 6 a.m. - mommy goes through all stages of exhaustion- eventually around 4:30 a.m. - realizes milk supply is exhausted as is mommy and caves to feeding formula, just a few cc at a time, every few minutes, totalling 25 cc - no problems with spit up this time

somewhere between 6 and 7 a.m. - wakes up to baby crying, changes baby, feeds - goes back to sleep, sort of

somewhere between 9 and 10 a.m. - wakes up to baby crying, changes baby, feeds - does quick call with office on matter that has to be resolved before 10:30 a.m. - goes back to sleep, sort of

somewhere between 12 noon and 2 p.m. - gets up, changes baby, gets ready for lactation consultant who was recommended by pediatrician; lets dog out, makes quick egg breakfast, gets water ready for nursing

2 p.m. - lactation consultant arrives during diaper change, calms down dog, finishes diaper change, begins to answer questions and listen to consultant in our nursery

Consultant teaches old dog a few new tricks, and gives lessons on why baby wants to feed more at night, than during the day, and several other things that could keep me from getting as much milk.  Wait to see the schedule she wants me to have for the next few days - read more about a lactation breastfeeding mom’s schedule

3 Responses to “A Day in the Life of the Breastfeeding Mum”

  1. Stephanie.thieme@lakeridgeata.com says:
    December 12th, 2008 at 12:49 am

    Oh my goodness, Laura, she is absolutely an ANGEL! So precious!!!! You are truly blessed.

    Love,
    Stephanie

  2. April says:
    December 12th, 2008 at 10:12 am

    Laura — I love the yawn. What a precious girl!
    Had to comment on your schedule… It made me tired just reading it, and brought back some memories.

  3. Anan says:
    December 12th, 2008 at 10:57 am

    What an adorable picture!

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